The High-End Party

The car came to a steady stop at the pier, and Aaron led the elegantly dressed Zuri and Saira onto the boat. Aaron presented the invitation card, and the security guard at the entrance, holding a tablet, carefully scrutinized both Zuri and Saira. After checking the information on the device, they were allowed to pass.

From the moment they boarded, they underwent three rounds of security checks, each more stringent than the last. This level of rigorous screening made Saira's heart race with excitement.

In her eyes, the higher the caliber of the event, the stricter the screening process would be. Given how strict it was even before the official party had begun, it was clear that the event was of an extremely high standard.

Saira's eyes were filled with anticipation and excitement.

Upon entering the interior, a tall hostess handed Aaron a mask.

Zuri asked, "Don't we get one?"

The hostess smiled and replied, "Miss, only the gentlemen are required to wear masks at the event; ladies do not need them."

Saira shot her a disdainful look.

Fool!

If you wore a mask, how would anyone see your face? Without showing your face, how could you mingle and make connections with potential suitors?

Though she scorned the hostess in her heart, Saira fully agreed with the party host's approach.

The moment Saira stepped into the grand hall, she was dazzled by the opulent décor and the glittering lights.

Zuri's eyes scanned the large venue, noticing that more than half of the attendees were women. These women were strikingly beautiful, each with a unique charm, far from the uniform "influencer" look. They were not only beautiful but also possessed alluring figures, making them true stunners.

The quality of women here was exceptionally high. Any one of them could easily be considered a great beauty.

As for the remaining third of the attendees, who were men, all wore masks, making their faces indistinguishable. However, judging by their physiques, most were either pot-bellied or elderly; there were few who had maintained their bodies well.

Something about this scene felt off. At a normal party, a man would typically bring one female companion, but that wasn't the case here.

Saira surveyed the men present and felt a bit disappointed. However, she reminded herself that this was just the beginning, and the real party was yet to come, so she put away her disappointment.

Noticing the appearance and figures of the women present, she frowned.

Why were all the women here so stunning?

In the eyes of the public, Saira was considered a petite beauty, but in a hall full of gorgeous women, she seemed rather plain.

The trio's arrival immediately drew the attention of the guests, with everyone's eyes fixated on Zuri and Saira.

The way people were looking at them was unsettling—an evaluative gaze, as if they were appraising merchandise.

Instinctively, Saira moved closer to Zuri.

Aaron addressed the two, saying, "You two can mingle on your own and chat with people. I'm going to greet the host."

"Alright."

Aaron whispered a few words to the hostess, who then led him away.

Zuri watched the direction Aaron went in, her brow furrowed.

At that moment, a waiter approached with two different colored wrist corsages. "Ladies, please choose a flower bracelet you like."

Saira immediately chose the purple one, which matched her evening gown.

When it was Zuri's turn, she declined outright. "Too ugly. I'm not wearing it."

The waiter hesitated, clearly troubled. "Miss Lin, all the ladies at the party are wearing one. You see…"

"If I don't wear it, are you going to throw me out?" Zuri asked.

Saira was speechless.

What kind of place is this to be causing a scene like this?

So embarrassing.

Saira instinctively distanced herself from Zuri.

While the waiter was in a dilemma, a man who seemed to be a manager approached, apologetically addressing Zuri, "I'm sorry, Miss. This employee is new and doesn't understand the rules. I apologize for the inconvenience. Miss Lin, if you don't like it, you don't have to wear it."

The manager waved the waiter away, who quickly left.

The manager then warmly stood beside Zuri and offered, "Miss Lin, if you encounter any issues or troubles on board, please feel free to contact me."

"I need to speak with my father. Could you take me to him?" Zuri immediately seized the opportunity.

The manager hadn't expected her to make such a request and hesitated briefly before smiling and saying, "I'll relay your message to Mr. Lin. Once he's finished his meeting with our boss, he'll return. If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave now."

Zuri nodded.

The manager signaled a waiter, who then offered a glass of champagne from a tray to her. "This is a custom-made champagne by our boss, unique in the world. Miss Lin, please enjoy."

"Alright." Zuri took the glass and sniffed it, detecting a rich aroma.

After the manager left, he discreetly gave instructions to a nearby waiter while occasionally glancing at Zuri, who was standing in the center of the hall.

Holding her glass, Zuri aimlessly wandered around the banquet hall. Anyone who approached to greet her was promptly scared off by her cold demeanor.

As she made a circuit around the room, Zuri noticed that the entire hall was monitored from all angles, with no blind spots.

There were two exits in the hall: the main entrance and an entrance used by the staff.

Zuri was now almost certain that this was a large-scale illicit market, where each girl's bracelet bore a corresponding number, likely used by the men to mark their chosen targets.

She could hardly believe that Aaron, in his desperation for money, would bring his two daughters into such a place so openly.

Although the men here wouldn't dare speak of it publicly, the Lin family's reputation would be utterly ruined in Oceanic City after this.

It was evident that the recent series of setbacks had driven Aaron to the point of selling his daughters.

Looking at the women in the hall, who were laughing and chatting with the men, Zuri could tell that all of them were willing participants. Only she and Saira had been deceived into coming here.

In a large private room, a row of leather sofas lined the walls. In the center sat a bald man, flanked by two tall and burly bodyguards.

Aaron entered the room, and the bald man, puffing on a cigar, casually pointed to an empty seat. "Pour Mr. Lin a drink."

A seductive woman approached, smiling as she poured him a glass, her ample cleavage fully exposed.

Aaron glanced at her, his gaze deepening.

"Mr. Lin, what brings you to part with such beautiful daughters?" The bald man spoke with a thick regional accent.

In front of them was a large screen, displaying everything happening in the banquet hall.

"I don't want to, but I have no other choice."

The bald man chuckled, "There's no issue with your younger daughter, is there? The Feng family and the Ye family won't come after us, right? You know I don't like trouble in my line of work."

"Rest assured, they won't."

"That's good." The bald man laughed. "So, Mr. Lin, what price are you looking for?"